Rivera defends TPD captain's use of car involved in crash

TRENTON — Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr. said it was completely appropriate for his captain to be driving a city vehicle last week in Burlington Township when he was involved in a car accident.

“The captain was authorized to have that vehicle,” Rivera told council Tuesday night. “There were no summonses issued. It was an accident, that’s why we have insurance.”

According to the New Jersey State Police, Capt. Paul Messina was driving on I-295 North near Burlington Township toward Trenton Tuesday morning last week when his Ford Crown Victoria struck a blue Lexus while trying to move from the right lane into the left lane. The collision sent the Lexus into a spin before striking a tree on the right shoulder while Messina’s vehicle struck the center median, a state police spokesman said.

The driver of the Lexus refused medical attention and Messina was not injured in the crash.

“Thank God there were no injuries to the captain or to the person involved,” Rivera said. “There seems to be no wrongdoing. That’s an unofficial statement right now, but I’d like to discuss it with the (business administrator).”

Rivera’s explanation fell on deaf ears to Council President Phyllis Holly-Ward, who pushed Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson for further information.

“That is not a good enough answer for me,” she said.

Hutchinson declined comment on the incident at the meeting because he had yet to speak with Rivera about the accident.

The city’s vehicle use policy, obtained by The Trentonian, allows vehicles to be used at times other than official hours if approval is obtained from a department director.

Hutchinson has previously stated that the city carries its own car insurance.

City activist Dion Clark has fought to not have city-owned vehicles leave Trenton at the end of the work day.

According to the White Pages’ directory, Messina lives in Mount Holly in Burlington County, so he may have been driving the city vehicle to work from his house.

Clark hounded officials when stock clerk Paul Harris crashed a city vehicle last year causing $5,427.50 in damage, that Hutchinson said the Water Works employee was not allowed to drive.

“Another city car torn up at the expense of the taxpayers,” Clark said at Tuesday’s meeting. “Why did the captain need to take the car to Burlington County? What happened to the individual that he hit? Was the individual hurt and who’s going to pay for her car? The taxpayers of Trenton. Who else?”